Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-10
BYRD-ST STATION.
TIE NEW pAsskNoxR DEPOT 70 BE
oPfN TO PUBLIC INSPECTION.
A Very Nice Piece Of Work Indeed, andth'
People will Be Pleased
with II.

The Byrd-Street railroad station ha'
been completed, and tomorrow 1t Will
be subject to the inspection OF the pub
lie between the hours of and 6 z. NJ.
On that occasion the presence OF the
ladies is particularly invited, and the
waiting-ro the restaurant, the
kitchen, and the offices will all be open
to view.
Our people will find that the railroad
companies have in every respect iul'
filed the promises they made TO the
city when the city decided TO them
Eighth street sonth Of Canal. They have
put up the best passenger depot IN the
South. Ii is not as large or as elegant
as many in northern cities, but IN oil
essentials it is as good rs the best in
the country. The work, which has
been heretofore deliberately described,
is handsome and solid, and all the con-
veniences for the traveller are at hand.
THE COST.
On the passenger depot, which is the
joint property of the Richmond and
Petersburg and the Fredericksburg rail
road companies, there has been spent,
for the lot bought from the State and
buildings, nearly $2C0, 600. In addition
to this expenditure the land acquired
from the city and some that the compa-
MES previously held has been put in
use.
Ire depot will not be known as " the
Union depot" but as The BYRD
STREET STA1oN-a very sensible APP
pellation, since, in the first place, it is
not union depot; end secondly, in the
present uncertain condition of the
orthoepical market, scarcely anybody
knows what is the correct United States
pronunciation Of the word depot.
THE FUTURE.
1t is to be hoped that the time will
come when, freed from litigation, re-
organized, and renewed in strength and
enterprise, the Allegheny railroad will
make an arrangement to use this depot
for its passenger trains but at present
The BYRD-SIREEr STATION will he used
only by the trains of.the Fredericks-
burg and Petersburg roads, and their
Immediately connecting lines.
The Danville Railroad Company could
very easily managed to run its trains into
this depot, but they will probably never
90 SO. They have of their own an ex-
cellent bridge across the James, and
they propose to erect passenger depot
between Virginia street and Fourteenth.
THE FREIGHT-HoUsE.
This building, at the foot of Eighth
street, is the sole property of the Rich
mond and Petersburg Railroad Compa-
ny. II and other Improvements in
connection with it cost the company
between $40, 600 and $50, 900. But il is
a model building of its kind-handsome
in appearance, compactly built, and
convemently-arranged for business.
60, altogether, the railroad companies
have made an expenditure of about
S250,00O in depot improvements be-
tween Seventh and Ninth streets and
the whole value of their property there
I'D in MANCHESTER, including the bridge,
is net less than S750,000.
WHAT IS WANTING.
Now that the hideous, nightmare
like old depot is blotted out of exist
ence and almost cut of memory, and
in its place has risen handsome aud
comfort-afTording structure, the city
should order Canal street to be widened
between Eighth and Ninth streets.
Canal street is wide enough in front OF
The railroad property, but it is too mar
row in front of Halls foundry.
Another thing: There should be
line of street-cars to this depot. The
City Council should encourage some
line to run its tracks there.
When that is done-not before-Rich-
inond can say with emphasis, 1--WE GER
tainly have one complete passenger
station here"